Across Timelines
by Admiral T. DeVanto
Summary: Noah has a chance to change the future and repair his relationship with Neo. Now, instead of traveling six years back into the past, he is sent a few days after Neo's true parentage is revealed. Now Noah has the opportunity to apologize to his young son, and hopefully mend their relationship before it even has a chance to break.


"_Do you want to change this...change him?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Are you sure?"_

"_Of course. Anything for him."_

"_Good answer."_

* * *

Cerulean eyes opened to the sunlight streaming through his curtains. Soft music filtered through his ears, relaxing him. Rolling over, he shivered as his exposed shoulders touched the soft blankets. With a groan, he looked at the clock on his nightstand, the red numbers glaring at him with its annoying brightness.

With a gasp, Noah jolted up, the blankets slipping down to gather at his waist. He looked around, taking in the large space of his room. His eyes immediately landed on his phone, the soft music of the alarm coming through the device. Even though his vision was somewhat blurry, he reached out and turned the sound off.

"I can't believe it worked," he muttered. With a curious frown, Noah swiped at the screen of his phone. It felt odd to hold a phone again. He never thought he would see such a rare device. The date was displayed on his screen, and he frowned thoughtfully. Why did that particular day stand out to him? What was so special about today? Thankfully, he had a few years to prepare for the Armageddon, but why was today standing out to him?

_Why did you reject him?_

Bright blue eyes of the deepest color stared at him. Such young, youthful eyes that were easily hidden by thick dark bangs. Bangs that he would lovingly push aside just to see those eyes. He hadn't done that since...since he had found out the truth. The truth about his son.

His eyes flashed open. Neo! Where was his son?

Pushing the sheets off of him, Noah leaped from the bed. The past events were a blur, and his mind did not process the fact that he had even achieved the miraculous power of time travel. All he needed was confirmation that his son was alright.

Just as he was reaching for the doorknob, a knocking sound could be heard. Noah paused, his heart racing, his mind spinning. His hand dropped to his side, and he breathed in deeply. "Get a grip," he muttered to himself. Turning away from the door, he walked back towards the bed.

The knocking repeated itself, hesitant this time. "Sir?" the calm voice asked, slightly muffled from the other side of the door.

"Come in," Noah replied, slipping on his bathrobe. He glanced behind him to see the familiar sight of a small woman entering the room, her long brown hair pulled back. Her deep green eyes stood out against her tan features, and Noah was taken aback when he recognized Li. When had her hair been long like that? He couldn't help but glance at his phone to see the date.

Ah, right. He would be younger, which meant times were different.

He narrowed his eyes, adding up the years and configuring just how old everyone in the family was.

His heart clenched when he thought of Neo. He couldn't help but glance at the bed. Parish was not with him, which meant they were sleeping in separate rooms. But Abel was not born yet, so she was still pregnant, possibly months along now.

Did...did _that _incident happen yet?

"Li," he asked suddenly, looking back at the serving girl. It was painful to look at her and not be reminded of her death. But that was years into the future. He had enough time to change her fate.

To change all their fates.

"Where is Neo?" he asked.

Li paused. An unreadable look flashed across her face before the obedient, stoic mask slid back into place. "He's in his room," she said curtly.

He flinched at her tone. Right. She was there when he had snapped at Neo, a young child who should never have been treated in such a hostile manner.

"_Don't call me that! You're not even my son."_

Yes, he deserved the resentment he was receiving from Li, and from his son.

"Sir, he's quite upset."

Li's voice pulled him from his thoughts with her painful reminder. With a small nod, he said, "I know. I'll go see him." He stiffened at the surprise that came across Li's face. He couldn't bear to see it. Turning away, he made his way towards the bathroom. "Please inform...my wife," he forced the words out "that I will not be present for breakfast." He couldn't bring himself to see her now anyway.

"Of course, sir," he heard Li say before she left.

Left alone to the silence and his tormenting thoughts, Noah silently entered the bathroom. He caught his reflection in the mirror, and he winced. Blue eyes stared back at him. Dark hair framed his pale features.

People used to compare him and Neo, stating that they looked so alike. It was no wonder they were related.

Of course, they were related. Just not as father and son.

The cold, metal collar around his neck flashed a warning yellow, a sure sign that he was stressed.

Of course, he was stressed. He just came back from a hellish apocalypse, and he had to relive his life with the very people who had betrayed him, and he had to make amends with the people he had wronged.

He gripped the edge of the sink, trembling.

"Neo," he whispered. "My son, I am so sorry."

But would Neo accept his apology? Would he want Noah back? Would he be given a second chance even when he did not deserve one?

But did Neo still regard him with the same resentment? After all, the past was different, and Neo was a child now.

But a child could be easily damaged from their parent's hurtful words in a way an adult never could be.

There were things he had to get ready for, such as the upcoming apocalypse. But the zombies could wait. His backstabbing family could wait. Right now, he had to make things right with his son.

These thoughts followed Noah as he got ready for the day. Even as he walked down the vast halls of his home, he was still unprepared for the being waiting on the other side of the bedroom door. Pictures of green dinosaurs were taped to the door, and Noah smiled, fingering one of the drawings. He remembered Neo's excitement when he would draw, and he remembered helping Neo draw some of these pictures.

His hand fell to his side, his smile slipping into an anxious frown. He fidgeted, fingering the sleeves of his grey sweater. What was wrong with him? He had faced down armies of flesh-eating monsters without even flinching! Why was he so nervous now?

Because, a voice that strangely sounded like Li's, you've never had to apologize to your young son before.

"Ouch," he muttered to his inner Li. With a heavy sigh, he reached for the doorknob, twisting it open. He peeked into the room, his eyes searching. His gaze immediately landed on the small figure huddled in the bed, black hair unbrushed and his small form shaking.

His heart broke, and he remained frozen. Had he done that? Had he really inflicted such damage on a small child? How despicable was he?

He pulled back, retreating. This was a bad idea. He wasn't ready. He needed more time to figure out how to make it up to Neo, how to better apologize. Maybe he should get him a gift. Yeah! A gift!

Do you intend to buy back his forgiveness? His inner Li was back again.

In response, Noah went to slam the door shut, only to slam his toe in between the door. With a muffled cry, he stumbled back, hopping on one foot. Realizing he was being too loud, he clamped his mouth shut, but it was too late.

The small form on the bed eagerly leaped up, blue eyes shining. "Daddy?" Neo's tone was hopeful and soft. In his arms, he clutched the green plush dinosaur he had been given for his fifth birthday.

Noah had bought him that toy.

Wiggling his sore toe, Noah started, noticing as if for the first time how small Neo really was. Wrapped up in his blankets, the bed seemed to swallow Neo. His black hair covered his face, but it did not hide the hurt, yet eager expression clearly written across his pale features.

Hesitantly, Noah opened the door a bit further and stepped into the room. He smiled softly. "Good morning Neo."

Neo fidgeted, averting his eyes, and Noah was filled with guilt.

"I'm sorry," Neo muttered softly.

Noah blinked. "What?"

"For calling you 'daddy.' I know you don't want me to call you that." He ducked his head, his voice trembling. "I'm sorry."

Oh no. No, no, no, no! Noah rushed towards the bed, dropping to his knees. "Neo, no. You do not have to be sorry." His tone was desperate as he searched the child's face. "You don't ever have to be sorry."

Neo sniffled, and Noah was startled to realize that the child was close to crying. "But you...you were angry with me. I don't want you to be angry!" Hot tears trailed down Neo's cheeks, and the child went to rub at his eyes.

Neo's words were worse than any injury Noah could have ever received from the zombies. Swallowing past the lump in his throat, he reached out to touch Neo's hand, only to have the child flinch away. Noah grimaced. Alright. He deserved that.

"Neo," he said, his voice hoarse. "I'm...I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry. I should not have gotten mad at you. I should not...I should not have said such horrible things to you. You did nothing wrong, and daddy did a really bad thing when he hurt you." He gazed at Neo desperately. "I am really sorry. Daddy does not want to ever, ever hurt you again." He would say he was sorry a thousand times if only to alleviate whatever damage he had inflicted on this precious child. He would do anything to have his son back, to have this child look at him with the same love and adoration he had felt.

"Daddy wasn't angry at you," he said. He cocked his head, trying to get Neo to look at him. To his relief, Neo finally glanced up with his teary-eyed gaze. "Daddy could never get angry at you. You did nothing wrong."

Neo sniffed. "You said...you weren't my daddy."

Oh, how those words killed him. He looked down. "I know," he said softly. "I should not have said that." He looked back up into those wide, innocent eyes that held such hurt. "I am really sorry." He cocked his head. "Can you forgive me?" Did he even have a right to ask for such forgiveness? Even after all that he had done.

But years' worth of mistakes melted away as Neo smiled at him, chasing away the gloominess. "It's okay," Neo chirped. He pat Noah's hand with a small smile, as if to console the emotional adult.

Noah blinked at the simple acceptance, startled. With such acceptance, and Neo was willing to take him back? Noah hesitantly moved forward; his arms outstretched. "Can I have a hug now?"

Neo smiled and leaped into Noah's arms. Noah held him as if he would never let go. "I'm sorry," he repeated, holding Neo tight. "I am so sorry."

After a while, though it may have been just a moment, Neo began to squirm. "Daddy, I want to get down."

But Noah just tightened his hold. "Just...let me hold you for a while longer."

Neo went still for several seconds before squirming. "Daddy, it's been 'a while'."

Despite himself, Noah chuckled. "Alright." Even though he did not want to, he let Neo go. He stared at the child...no...his son and smiled. "How was school yesterday?" His memory of the exact events was a bit fuzzy, but he was determined to make life as normal as possible before the zombies came.

Neo grinned. "I made a project! You know, the one you helped me with?"

No, Noah did not know. But he nodded anyway. "Oh? Let me see it." He watched as Neo grabbed his backpack, pulling out thick parchment paper.

"See? We had to do a drawing on the extinction of the dinosaurs. The apocalypse," Neo exclaimed, showing Noah the picture.

Noah laughed weakly. "Oh yeah. The apocalypse." How nice. He blinked when he saw the drawings, a bit of recollection coming back. "Yes, I remember this," he stated, adjusting his glasses. "You colored in the lines this time." He smiled at Neo. "Good for you."

"It's because you helped me. My teacher liked it. But she said that there were no purple dinosaurs."

Noah hummed. "Well, you never know. There even might have been some pink dinosaurs," he teased, poking Neo.

Neo grimaced. "Yuck. That's for girls."

Noah chuckled. Gently setting the parchment down, he sighed. "Do you want to do something fun today?"

Neo looked up with excitement. "Really?"

Noah nodded, sitting down on the bed right next to Neo. "Yes. Just the two of us. You pick what we are going to do, and we will go do it."

Neo cheered, jumping in his bed excitedly, clutching his little dinosaur toy. "Yay! I want to go to the park! The ice cream truck is there, and I want a really big ice-cream cone!"

Noah hummed. "Hm, ice-cream for breakfast. That sounds like fun." It had been a long time since he had had ice-cream. Actually, it had been a long time since he had normal food. Frankly, he didn't qualify canned beans as 'food' anyway. Even if he didn't like sweets, he would take anything to spend time with Neo.

"Why don't you get dressed, and then we will go to the park," Noah stated. He watched as Neo eagerly clambered out of bed, his excited exclamations making Noah feel lighter inside.

Apparently, Neo felt the same as he hopped around the room, struggling to put his shoes on. As Noah approached to help him, Neo shook his head. "No daddy! Li showed me how to tie my shoes. I need to put the rabbit over the hole."

"I think the rabbit goes under the hole."

"That's what I said!"

Noah decided to withhold his comment and instead watched as Neo grabbed a red sweatshirt. With a smile, Noah grabbed the unsuspecting Neo, causing the child to squeal in delight. "Alright," Noah declared as he lifted Neo up to place him on his shoulders. "Let's go to the park!" The choker on his neck beeped in warning, but he ignored it. He could strain his body for just a little bit today. Neo was more important than his health.

Neo cheered as they left the room. "Let's get some ice-cream!" He waved to everyone they passed in the halls. "Miss Li! I'm going to the park with daddy!"

Li paused in her work to look at them with wide eyes. A ghost of a smile, so brief that Noah even wondered if he saw it, flickered across her face. "Wonderful, young Master Neo." Her approving gaze lingered on Noah for just a bit, and he wondered why she was appearing so surprised.

He wasn't that bad of a father that he would...okay, yes, he was. He could see where Li would be surprised at his sudden kind actions. The old Noah would have shunned Neo for years, creating a rift between them and damaging any hope for healing.

But not today. Not in this timeline.

Noah grunted. "Neo, I think I have to put you down." He didn't need to see Neo pouting to know it was there, but the child complied. As Neo rushed to the front door, Noah addressed Li. "Please tell Parish that we will be out for the day."

"Of course, Master Noah." Li's soft voice gave way to her approval as he left with Neo.

Noah could not help but remain wary as he glanced around the streets. Despite traveling back in time, he was unused to traveling out in the open with no weapons. But there were no zombies lurking in the shadows, and no treacherous government agents waiting to betray him. Instead, he was surrounded by people. People were walking to work, couples were enjoying strolls, or children were playing under the watchful eye of their parents.

A small hand grabbed his, and he looked down to see Neo happily walking alongside him. His energetic smile only widened as they neared the park, his steps hurrying as he tugged on Noah's hand.

"Let's go on the swings first daddy!" Neo exclaimed. Without even waiting for a reply, Neo let go of Noah's hand and scampered off. Noah watched him go, trying to shove aside the rising apprehension lingering within him. It was dangerous to be alone, separated from everyone.

He shook his head. That was in the future. He did not need to worry about meaningless stuff such as lurking zombies and powerful enemies. Not now. Not for many years.

"Daddy! Push me on the swing please!" Neo pumped his legs, doing his best to swing back and forth, exerting more effort than what was needed for a swing. Noah found himself smiling as he approached his son, gently pushing him and giving Neo a boost. His shoulders relaxed as Neo giggled. The warm sun and gentle breeze lulled Noah into a sense of calm, a feeling he had not experienced for a long time.

"Daddy! I'm ready for my ice cream!" Neo chirped, jumping from the swing. Noah watched as Neo landed on the ground before running towards the ice cream truck. He huffed. That child remained as speedy as ever.

"...oh, I want the vanilla and strawberry one! With sprinkles!" he heard Neo exclaim. Noah was already going through his wallet for the necessary cash. Neo looked up at his father with bright eyes as his treat was handed to him.

"That's a lot of sprinkles," Noah noted as they walked to a bench.

"Mhm," Neo stated as he licked his ice-cream. "Sprinkles are good." He paused. "But you wouldn't understand 'because you don't like sweets." At this point, Neo had ice-cream and traces of sprinkles on his face and nose. Noah had already selected a few napkins for this very situation, but he wondered if he should have retrieved more.

Noah helped Neo clamber on to the park bench, being careful not to disturb the ice-cream. A comforting silence sat between them, but Noah did not mind. He felt as if he was finally making things right between them. Had it really been that simple? Had he destroyed their relationship out of petty pride and hurt? Could all of those years of strife and misfortune have been avoided if he had just...apologized?

"Daddy, don't be sad."

Noah blinked, startled as he stared at Neo. "What?"

Neo licked his ice-cream. "Don't be sad. You're not angry at me anymore, so I am not sad either. I said I forgave you! Remember?"

He stared at this child with wide eyes. Did Neo still think he was angry? At him? "Neo," he started. "I was not angry at you. I was...I was angry at someone else. It was not your fault. I just got so upset that I yelled at you when I shouldn't have."

"Oh," Neo nodded as if he understood. "Like when I was angry at Timothy, this guy in my class. I said some things to him that were very mean. I said I was sorry later."

Noah cocked his head, curious. "What did Timothy do to get you so angry?"

Neo swung his legs, licking at his ice-cream. "Well, he always takes away the firetruck right when recess starts, and he knows I like the firetruck, but he takes it on purpose just to annoy me. Anyway, this time, I was faster, and I got to the truck first. But he took it right out of my hand and stuck his tongue at me. So, I got angry and yelled at him. I called him 'a stupid-no-good-blob' and grabbed the truck right back. Mrs. Pearson had to come and tell me to say 'sorry.' But once I said 'sorry' I felt better. I even got to keep the truck!"

Noah was silent for several moments, unable to form words. "You...you called him...a what?" he stuttered weakly. Before Neo could repeat his words, Noah silenced him. "Where did you learn to talk like that?"

"From when you talk to Uncle Ian!"

Noah winced for several reasons. One, he knew he would have to watch his language when he spoke to his arrogant brother, and two, because of the way Neo referred to his 'uncle' Ian.

He gritted his teeth. Well, regardless of what Ian was to Neo, Noah was still Neo's dad, and he intended to keep it that way.

"Neo," he started. "From now on, if daddy ever says anything bad, don't repeat it."

Neo licked his ice-cream. "But you say a lot of bad things when Uncle Ian is around. You both are mean to each other."

"Yeah," Noah said, grimacing. "We are not very nice." He fixed Neo with a stare. "Do you like it when we are not nice?"

Neo hesitated. "No," he admitted. "Because then you get sad, and I don't like it."

Noah nodded. "That's right. So, when you are not nice, it makes me sad. Can you be nice for me?" He smiled. "Besides, you are going to get a younger brother soon, and I would like you two to be nice to each other."

Unlike in the future.

Neo seemed to ponder those words. "Because you don't want me to be mean to my brother like Uncle Ian is mean to you?"

"I just want you to be nice," Noah advised him. "I like nice people."

Neo beamed. "Okay daddy! I won't call Timothy a stupid-no-good-blob anymore."

Noah nodded, satisfied. "Good."

"Even though he is a jerk," Neo continued.

Noah sighed. "Neo."

"Yes daddy?"

Noah glanced at the wide, innocent expression staring up at him, and Noah found himself succumbing to that gaze. Traces of ice cream was on his cheek, and Noah knew what a sticky mess that would cause.

"Want to have a piece of Li's pie when we get home?" he asked instead. It was Saturday, which meant Li was going to make a pie for the weekend.

Neo gasped. "Miss Li made pie? Yummy! This is the best day ever!"

_Anything to make you smile, _he thought. _Anything to avoid my mistakes and create a better future for the both of us. _


End file.
